Raising magnesium to control algae

Fishbulb2 · #1 10/05/2007, 08:36 PM

Hey guys,
I've heard of people raising their magnesium (to like 1500ppm I believe), to control Bryopsis. Is was wondering if anyone had a link to such a thread where this is discussed or if anyone has tried it with valonia. I have a valonia outbreak that I want to get rid of and am not having much luck. My phosphates and nitrates are undetectable but I just can't get it to go away. What are the drawbacks to elevated magnesium and how long does the process typically take?
Thanks,
FB

davidryder · #2 10/05/2007, 09:33 PM

Here ya go:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

Fishbulb2 · #3 10/06/2007, 09:22 AM

thanks a ton

dreamreefer · #4 10/19/2007, 03:29 AM

i believe 1500 ppm should be okak.Mg needs to be really high to become toxic...

starsbravo · #5 10/19/2007, 11:27 PM

is bryopsis the same as hair algae?

Echidna09 · #6 10/20/2007, 12:41 AM

Sry dbl post

Echidna09 · #7 10/20/2007, 12:42 AM

Yes sir; Bryopsis is the scientific name.

MCsaxmaster · #8 10/21/2007, 10:04 PM

Bryopsis is one of hundreds of genera of filamentous algae.

Serioussnaps · #9 10/22/2007, 02:12 PM

Watch your N and P as well along with raising your ph.

Fishbulb2 · #10 10/22/2007, 02:30 PM

Well, everything I read from the thread above showed that the valonia stayed around as the bryopsis died off. It didn't seem effective against bubble algae so I haven't bothered trying it. Although I did add 3 emerald crabs to my tank and they have started having some impact!

Serioussnaps · #11 10/23/2007, 07:05 AM

You can try some carbon dosing(vodka, sugar) as well....watch it die off with glee!

Fishbulb2 · #12 10/23/2007, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Serioussnaps
You can try some carbon dosing(vodka, sugar) as well....watch it die off with glee!

Really? With valonia? I've never heard this before. I've always heard valonia can not be starved out and that it will survive even in pristine water. I can never measure NO3 or PO4. Although (and I suspect this is purely coincidence), I did start dosing vodka just as I added the emeralds. And the valonia are going away.
FB

PS. I hate pulling off the stupid bubbles from the suction side of my tunzes. Oh well.

cutegecko3 · #13 10/25/2007, 02:33 AM

low nutrient algaes such as bryopsis can grow faster from certain heavy metals.GFO will reduce your phosphate levels and heavy metals at the same time.

MCsaxmaster · #14 10/25/2007, 12:44 PM

Uh, no, heavy metals do not increase the growth rate of any sort of organism.

burris · #15 10/25/2007, 01:13 PM

"bubble algae" includes several genera. The big solitary bubbles are usually Ventricaria and the little bubbles that form big colonies is usually Valonia.

"hair algae" also includes several genera. Bryopsis has feather-like fronds, pinnately branched. Otherwise it is something else, maybe Derbesia.

coralnut99 · #16 10/25/2007, 01:41 PM

Though tedious, I think manual removal, and controlling phosphates will do a better job than your Mithrax over the long haul. Mithrax will eventually become like 95% of all other crab species; an opportunistic omnivore. Meaning that they eventually develop a taste for things like snails, other crabs, shrimp, and small sleeping fish. I'm glad to see that fewer Sally lightfoots are sold as part of "clean-up crews" since they can get huge, and devour snails at an alarming pace. I think selling Mithrax should come with some warning too.

hahnmeister · #17 10/25/2007, 07:32 PM

I hear some rabbitfish/foxface will eat volonia. Im in a similar situation... I run a good skimmer, carbon, phosguard... but still, I get that colonial valonia just covering some rocks like you wouldnt believe. I was hoping raising the Mg would help with it as well.

That other thread only seems to address Mg/bryopsis... not Mg/valonia.

Fishbulb2 · #18 10/25/2007, 08:02 PM

Unfortunately it's even worse. There's a few reference to people who have tried it in that thread and it seems to specifically not kill any of the bubble algae types. In the same tank, a few people in that thread watched their bryopsis die away as their valonia was unaffected. I'm having good luck with the crabs so that's what I'm going to try to stick with for now. The key with them seems to be to make sure they don't get access to any other food whatsoever. Bubble algae seems to be a last resort for them.

dreamreefer · #19 10/26/2007, 01:27 PM

so what level of Mg is good to take out bryopsis?

Fishbulb2 · #20 10/26/2007, 02:46 PM

well it appears to be 1600ppm, but this has to be with either Kent Magnesium or Epsom salt. There seems to be suspicion that the elevated sulfate may actually be responsible and not the actual magnesium. Don't use magnesium chloride, it didn't seem to work for a lot of people.
FB

coralnut99 · #21 10/26/2007, 02:48 PM

Magnesium chloride as in MagFlake?

Fishbulb2 · #22 10/26/2007, 02:55 PM

Yeah don't use that (according to the thread linked above), go with espom salt. Dirt cheap at any pharmacy or grocery store. Again, the elevated sulfate seems to be key.

coralnut99 · #23 10/26/2007, 02:57 PM

Thanks!

dreamreefer · #24 10/26/2007, 03:44 PM

fishbulb,

i've always used seachem mg, which i think is magnesium chloride. what's the dosage like on the epsom salt? thanks.

MCsaxmaster · #25 10/26/2007, 03:49 PM

Has anyone considered that the concentration of Mg or sulphate has nothing to do with the abundance of Bryopsis. Afterall, there's no reason to think there should be any relationship